Matching siblings | Imamother

Chayalle

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 8:21 am

I think while matching toddlers might be cute, at a certain age it's healthy for them to develop their own style and individuality, and matching hinders that.
Think about it - when you are matching your kids, you are choosing what they where on a particular day. When you are not, your son is choosing for himself, which is healthy as he grows up.
I have only girls BAH, my two older ones are closer in age and matched when they were very little (even then, not always. But sometimes I found one great deal in both sizes and bought for both of them....) but as they grew up, they wanted their own choices, had their own favorites and what they were in the mood of wearing.
My little one is so much younger than they are, she never matched anyone. It would have made no sense.

bnm

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 8:24 am

My kids are a bit older. If I'm shopping new beginning of season I buy matching. They don't necessarily wear it the same day. For pictures or outings my oldest will sometimes convince them to wear coordinating.

amother

Calendula

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 8:44 am

I used to hate matching...before I had kids. Now I have 3 boys and matching is so easy! Am MO rof reference. And question: is it OK to match them all for a wedding? Oldest is 8...

bnm

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 8:45 am

amother Calendula wrote:

I used to hate matching...before I had kids. Now I have 3 boys and matching is so easy! Am MO rof reference. And question: is it OK to match them all for a wedding? Oldest is 8...

Yes its ok.

amother

Whitewash

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 8:47 am

Chayalle wrote:

Regardless of matching or not (and most days it's not matching, some kids have uniform anyway), I prepare their clothes for them the night before. At this age none of my kids have any interest whatsoever yet in choosing their own clothes.

Anything that matters to them, they choose and have their own individuality.

amother

Calendula

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 8:50 am

bnm wrote:

Yes its ok.

Thank you. One more question: are vests with bowties ok? Super cute. I wanted to put oldest in a blazer/suit of the color but it was sold out in his size....

amother

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 9:26 am

Chayalle wrote:

My son has no opinion about clothes. He is the absent minded professor type of boy. He still puts on his pants backwards and doesn't realize until I point it out. He actually is very creative and expresses himself in other ways. He really prefers not to choose his own clothing. If he cared I would be happy to have him choose his own clothes.

flowerpower

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 9:36 am

I match them because it’s easier and has a fresh neat look. If my boys both need shabbos tops and I like a certain one I’ll get one in each size. It’s more convenient for me to match them.

flowerpower

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 9:37 am

amother Calendula wrote:

I used to hate matching...before I had kids. Now I have 3 boys and matching is so easy! Am MO rof reference. And question: is it OK to match them all for a wedding? Oldest is 8...

For sure!

amother

Tomato

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 9:39 am

We never matched as children, until one time when we all fell in love with the same dress. The photos of us wearing it look nice. I'm the oldest, so I only wore it for a year or so. By the time my youngest sister grew out of the largest size of that dress, she hated it!

flowerpower

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 9:40 am

Chayalle wrote:

You can match them and they can still be an individual. My boys are each very unique in their own ways and don’t care what they wear. They don’t match every day but if they need a top and it comes in their sizes it’s ok to match.

mommyhood

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 9:46 am

Matching a 9 and 7 year old boy to each other is normal to me. Matching them to the babies and toddlers not at much. I didn’t do it every day but I had 1 or 2 matching weekday tops for them and coordinated it on family trips or other special days. Shabbos they had grown out of matching years before when they started wanting white shirts only.

amother

NeonBlue

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 10:04 am

amother Tomato wrote:

That's partly why I don't match my kids - the youngest wouldn't want to wear and rewear and rewear the same design dress.
But seems based on those in my area that those who match their kids aren't that bothered to hand down. It's a one/two season, then gone.
And honestly not every dress works with siblings, if they have different coloring and build.

Chayalle

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 10:14 am

amother Whitewash wrote:

Trust me it's a personality thing, not an age. You lucky woman.

My youngest had opinions at the age of 2.....I had to hide clothes I didn't want her to choose.....

Chayalle

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 10:15 am

amother OP wrote:

At some point, then, you want to develop his skills and opinions. His wife isn't likely gonna want to be his mother and do the choosing for him.

Busybee5

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 10:28 am

amother Coral wrote:

I start with white shirts when they ask for it or when most of the boys their age are wearing white shirts. It’s very community dependent.

This, it's also community dependent, definitely.

amother

Apple

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 10:41 am

I love matching my boys!! It’s so neat and fresh! They match every single day including shabos and pajamas! Can’t get enough! They are 7 and 4 for Reference. Somehow for me, matching is a cleaner look.

Even if I love a top if I can’t find for both, I won’t buy it….

There is no rule. It’s whatever you like…

SuperWify

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 10:48 am

At that age they want to wear white on Shabbos usually so I’d age it out. But, during the weekday I don’t see what’s wrong with coordinating a matching tee with rest of the family. Sometimes you can find a collection with many different colors and options and this way everyone is coronated but not matchy-matchy.

For example I found a cute sweatshirt pink dress for my daughter and coordinated from the same brand a blue shirt. Not an exact match definitely coordinated.

Last edited by SuperWify on Sat, Feb 10 2024, 3:20 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

DarkCyan

Fri, Feb 09 2024, 11:38 am

Chayalle wrote:

At some point, then, you want to develop his skills and opinions. His wife isn't likely gonna want to be his mother and do the choosing for him.

This is extreme thinking. We're talking about young boys that don't care what they wear & are more than happy that their clothes are prepared for them in the morning.